library_id_nanoid

Id generation for @thzero/library_common, backed by nanoid.

The default — library_common depends on this one directly, so unless an application swaps it out, this is what Utility.generateId() uses. Ids are URL safe, 21 characters long and 16 short, on nanoid's default alphabet.

Requirements

NodeJs

NodeJs version 22+

Installation

npm install @thzero/library_id_nanoid

Already a dependency of @thzero/library_common; install it explicitly only if you import it directly.

Peer dependencies

None. nanoid is a direct dependency.

What it provides

index.js — default export IdGenerator, a class of statics implementing the generator contract library_common delegates to.

| Member | Behaviour | |---|---| | generateId() | generateLongId() | | generateLongId() | 21 characters, or _lengthLong when set | | generateShortId() | 16 characters, or _lengthShort when set | | setAlphabet(alphabet) | Installs a customAlphabet generator. null restores the default | | setLengthLong(length) / setLengthShort(length) | Set the lengths | | translateToShortId(id) / translateToId(id) | Identity. nanoid ids have no separate short form | | init(alphabet) | Builds and returns a generator — see below |

openSource.js — a default-exported function returning the licence manifest for this package and nanoid, under both the client and server categories, for an application's attribution page.

init does not install anything

IdGenerator.init('AB');          // returns a generator; the class is unchanged
IdGenerator.setAlphabet('AB');   // this is the one that takes effect

init(alphabet) returns customAlphabet(alphabet) and does not assign it to the class, so calling it and expecting later generateId() calls to use that alphabet is a trap the name invites. Use setAlphabet. init is useful only if you want a standalone generator function of your own.

Choosing lengths

Both lengths are a collision trade-off. Read nanoid's collision calculator before changing them or the alphabet — a short alphabet with a short length collides much sooner than the defaults.

Configuration

None. This package reads no configuration. Lengths and alphabet are set through the API above.

Wiring it up

Nothing to do — library_common already uses it. To set an alphabet or lengths:

Utility.setIdGeneratorAlphabet(AppSharedConstants.IdGenerator.alphabet);
Utility.setIdGeneratorLengthLong(24);
Utility.setIdGeneratorLengthShort(8);

On the server these are reached through BootMain's _initIdGeneratorAlphabet, _initIdGeneratorLengthLong and _initIdGeneratorLengthShort hooks:

class AppBootMain extends BootMain {
    _initIdGeneratorAlphabet() {
        return AppSharedConstants.IdGenerator.alphabet;
    }
}

Swapping generators

The other two implementations of the same contract are library_id_shortuuid (uuid v4 with a real 22-character short form) and library_id_uuid (plain uuid v4). Both are drop-in:

import IdGenerator from '@thzero/library_id_shortuuid';

Utility.setIdGenerator(IdGenerator);

Development

npm run lint       # eslint .
npm run lint:fix   # eslint . --fix
npm test           # node --test "test/*.test.js"